Gazipur's Sreepur is a densely-populated upazila. However, it is disheartening to see that Sreepur's Baherarchala, Dukhla and Betjhuri villages lack even the most basic amenities, including educational institutions. Currently, there are no functional schools in these villages. The inhabitants of these three villagers are mainly farmers and readymade garments factory workers. As they are impoverished, they cannot afford to send their children to urban areas to study. So, the youth of these villages are compelled to work as farmers and work alongside their parents.
After the independence of Bangladesh, the number of government-run primary schools was 36,000 across the country. The number is now around 65,000, which is not sufficient at all. Bangladesh's SDG (sustainable development goal) target is to ensure free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education for all children by 2030. The children of Sreepur must not be ignored and should be given the opportunity to acquire knowledge and develop skills through which they can bring apositive change in this region. Uplifting thesocio-economic status of the local population and providing them with adequate resources like p public schools will not only benefit the region but also contribute to the country's development and progress.
Ashikujaman Syed,
Foreign Service Officer,
Anhui Haikang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd,
Anqing, China,
syedashikujaman@yahoo.com